Volume
2, Number 2

Muharram, 1418/May, 1997

12,000
Die in Disastrous Hajj Fire

Mecca - April 18th.

Unnamed sources say that the fire that
rampaged uncontrolled through the tent city at Mina, took
approximately 12,000 lives. On the condition of
anonymity, these sources say that more than 75,000 tents
were burned up in the deadly blaze. "The government
is terrified that the real death count will get out. They
are trying to control all news getting out. However, our
sources are in the fire, police and ambulance services
that pulled the living out of the mess. They made their
own count."

Two and a half to three million Muslims -- clad in the
white garbof ihram--are said to have attended
this year's pilgrimage.

Meanwhile, officials continued to play down the numbers
and to push blame on the "careless pilgrims".
Saudi state-run radio gave the final death toll as
something over 2,000. "Investigations indicate that
the fire was an accident," said one Saudi ambassador
"Unfortunately, we see that many of the pilgrims are
ignorant and peasants, who don't know the dangers of
using gas stoves in the tents. We have tried to educate
them, but many can't even read."

Dark smoke
envelops Mina as the fire spreads rapidly through
the tents. Fires and explosions sprang up
suddenly in places untouched by flames, as
burning embers carried the fire forward through
75,000 tents, on the high winds blowing that day.

However, stories from thousands of eyewitnesses, indicate
that whatever the cause, the inefficiency and
incompetence of fire and rescue workers and their delayed
reaction to the reports of the fire were the main reason
for the high death toll. "We knew nothing about the
fire, which started about 10 am, until we saw a dark
cloud overhead. We thought perhaps it was a sandstorm or
it was going to rain. No sirens were sounded and until we
heard the shouting and screaming of those fleeing the
fire, we had no knowledge of anything unusual. The fire
took our tent at around noon, just minutes after we
escaped!"

Diplomats and witnesses said the blaze was caused by gas
cylinder explosions. The greatest complaint was that no
warning of the fire was given and that fire and ambulance
teams arrived much too late to stop the fire.

In Mina, the air was filled with smoke,
and the ground was littered with remains of tents,
burned-out buses and cars, and destroyed luggage. Trucks
carted off blackened debris, while workers -- assisted by
the army -- frantically erected new tents in expectation
of the pilgrims returning from Arafat the next day.

One diplomat said, "Hospital staff are not
authorized to speak and the Hajj authorities are not
sharing information with the embassies or press."

Perhaps half of the victims were believed to have come
from India and Pakistan. Saudi newspapers said the fire
had also engulfed Syrian, Lebanese, Egyptian, Sudanese,
Yemeni and Moroccan tents.

While the
search of the charred debris continued, swarms of
white-robed pilgrims by midday Wednesday had reached
Mount Arafat, pinnacle of an elaborate set of hajj
rituals.

Calls of "Labbayk Allahuma labayk! At thy
service O' Lord, at thy service," echoed through
across the valley as the pilgrims moved in a massive
white wave onto the massive plain, where Prophet Muhammad
(s) delivered his Farewell Sermon shortly before his
passing in 632 CE.

It is most important that every pilgrim arrive at Arafat
by noon to make the Dhuhr prayer. It is the
climax of the hajj, or pilgrimage, which every Muslim who
can afford must perform at least once in a lifetime.

Pilgrims
flee as the fire approaches their tents in Mina.
Eyewitnesses say no sirens were sounded and fire
and rescue teams were ineffective for more than
two hours after the fire began.

However, this year, due to
the fire, some pilgrims had to miss accomplishment of
this fifth pillar of Islam. "We will come next year
for hajj, insha-Allah. This year we lost
everything," said one pilgrim.

Others continued on, their
desire to complete the rite undiminished by the terrible
disaster that had befallen them. One such pilgrim said,
"I grieve for the loss of my father, he was caught
and could not escape. But I am glad in the knowledge he
died as a shaheed, and he is in Paradise now, alhamdulillah!"
Such fervent faith was seen in many of the pilgrims, who
had lost loved ones, but undeterred, moved on to Arafat
to attend the standing of the main day of Hajj,
wuquf'i Arafat. Deeply saddened, they spent their
day at Arafat, imploring Allah's mercy on their family
members who were martyred in the fire.

Thursday, Muslims around
the world celebrated Eid al-Adha (Feast of
Sacrifice) at the end of hajj. However, the normal
rejoicing was severely tempered by the knowledge that
many hajjis perished in the fire.